Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it made at the European Union Agriculture Council meeting on 19 June 2001 in relation to the proposal of the Netherlands delegation on the transportation of livestock.

Ross Finnie: At the Scottish Executive’s request, the UK delegation did not support the Netherlands proposal at the Agriculture Council on 19 June 2001. Further work is now being carried out on the proposal.

Care of the Elderly

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to S1W-14750 by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 May 2001, how many elderly people received long-term care in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information about various long-term care arrangements for older people in Scotland relates to 31 March 1998:

  An estimated 7,513 people, aged 65 years and over, were receiving intensive home care services (defined for this purpose as being in receipt of more than 10 hours service per week).

  There were 14,139 residents, aged 65 years and over, in residential care homes for older people.

  There were 18,578 residents, aged 65 years and over, in private nursing homes in Scotland.

  Provisional information shows that there were 4,491 residents, aged 65 years and over, receiving long-stay NHS hospitals care in the specialty of geriatric medicine.

  Provisional information shows that there were 5,652 residents, aged 65 years and over, in mental illness or learning disability specialties in NHS hospitals in Scotland. These specialties are not specifically for patients receiving long-term care. However, of the residents at 31 March 1998, 4,208 (74.5 per cent) had been resident for six months or more.

  This information about various long-term care arrangements for older people in Scotland relates to 31 March 1999:

  An estimated 7,724 people, aged 65 years and over, were receiving intensive home care services (defined for this purpose as being in receipt of more than 10 hours service per week).

  There were 13,517 residents, aged 65 years and over, in residential care homes for older people.

  There were 18,498 residents, aged 65 years and over, in private nursing homes in Scotland.

  Provisional information shows that there were 4,292 residents, aged 65 years and over, receiving long-stay NHS hospital care in the specialty of geriatric medicine.

  Provisional information shows that there were 5,391 residents, aged 65 years and over, in mental illness or learning disability specialties in NHS hospitals in Scotland. These specialties are not specifically for patients receiving long-term care. However, of the residents at 31 March 1999, 3,898 (72.3 per cent) had been resident for six months or more.

Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it collates relating to loss of urban green space.

Lewis Macdonald: None, although  sportscotland monitors the impact of development proposals on playing fields in Scotland. The Executive published research on "Rethinking Open Space" (Bib. no. 12100) in March 2001 to assist local authorities in preparing open space policies for their areas. A planning advice note is currently being prepared to complement this research.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to carry out a national environmental audit.

Ross Finnie: There are no plans to carry out a Scottish environmental audit. From time to time the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage produce reports on various aspects of the Scottish environment.

Environment

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to introduce an environmental action plan.

Ross Finnie: "Working together for Scotland" sets out the Scottish Executive’s plans for sustainable development and the environment. Copies are available in the Parliament’s reference centre.

Exam Results

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to stop the publication of school league tables of examination results.

Nicol Stephen: School league tables are not published in Scotland. School examination performance results for the 2000 post-appeal and 2001 pre-appeal diets will be published together this November.

Health

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for NHS patients of the ruling by the European Court of Justice in case C-368/98 on the right to seek medical treatment in other European Union countries.

Susan Deacon: Case C-368/98 concerns a woman from Belgium who obtained orthopaedic treatment in France. The court confirmed the rule that treatment in such cases is to be provided under the conditions applying in the country providing the treatment. The court did not establish an unqualified right to medical treatment in other European Union countries. The implications for NHS patients relate to issues such as patient safety, quality assurance and proper arrangements for aftercare. Against this background, the legal and policy impact of this and other recent judgments are currently being considered in detail.

Health

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are currently available for interpretation services within each health board area.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not held centrally.

Junior Doctors

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11220 by Susan Deacon on 9 January 2001, what action it will take to ensure that health boards which had not complied with the terms of the new deal for junior doctors by 1 August 2001 achieve this as soon as possible.

Susan Deacon: The new contract for doctors in training implemented on 1 December 2000 requires that NHS Trusts demonstrate clearly that all pre-registration house officer (PRHO) posts are fully compliant with the hours limits of the new deal from 1 August 2001. Information contained within returns due from NHS Trusts at the end of August 2001 will show the level of progress that has been made.

  The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) has confirmed to all NHSScotland Trusts that the UK agreement for doctors in training does not allow for any discretion in the achievement of PRHO compliance and that postgraduate Deans will be expected to enforce this requirement.

  The new deal implementation support group (ISG) formed as a partnership between the Scottish Executive Health Department and the Scottish Junior Doctors Committee of the British Medical Association continues to provide support to Trusts at local level in resolving issues of non-compliance.

Junior Doctors

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11219 by Susan Deacon on 9 January 2001, whether it intends to penalise those health boards which had not complied with the terms of the new deal for junior doctors by 1 August 2001.

Susan Deacon: I indicated in my answer to question S1W-11219 that incentives to secure compliance with the new deal have been incorporated into the new contract for doctors in training introduced on 1 December 2000. These take the form of incremental pay band multipliers which reward the most hard pressed junior doctors and financially penalise trusts that fail to take the necessary steps to reduce hours of work.

  I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17446 regarding the steps that are to be taken in respect of pre-registration house officers (PRHO) posts deemed non-compliant in August 2001.

Junior Doctors

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11220 by Susan Deacon on 9 January 2001, whether it will make additional funding available to health boards to ensure that the terms of the new deal for junior doctors are complied with.

Susan Deacon: On 27 April 2001 I announced funding for an additional 375 junior doctors. This followed my announcement of 100 extra junior doctors on 28 June 2000. These will be targeted at areas with an identified need for additional resources.

  In 2001-02 health boards received an average increase in unified budgets of 6.5 per cent, which represents a cash increase of over £270 million. In addition, boards are to receive average increases of 6.5 per cent and 7.4 per cent in 2002-03 and 2003-04 respectively. It is the responsibility of health boards to determine local priorities for the use of these funds including meeting the targets and standards of the new deal for junior doctors.

Junior Doctors

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set a new target date by which all health boards must comply with the terms of the new deal for junior doctors.

Susan Deacon: No. The new contract for doctors in training was introduced in December 2000. This requires that from 1 August 2001 all pre-registration house officer (PRHO) posts and from 1 August 2003 all senior house officer (SHO) and specialist registrar (SpR) posts must fully comply with the hours limits of the new deal. Trusts which fail to meet this requirement will be in breach of contract.

  The new deal implementation support group (ISG), formed as a partnership between the Scottish Executive health department and the Scottish junior doctors committee of the British Medical Association, continues to provide support to trusts at local level in resolving issues of non-compliance.

Junior Doctors

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make additional funding available to health boards to cover the cost of legal fees in the event that they are sued by junior doctors for non-compliance with the terms of the new deal for junior doctors.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17446 which confirms that postgraduate deans will be expected to enforce the requirement that all pre-registration house officer (PRHO) posts comply with the hours and rest requirements of the new deal from 1 August 2001. This will mean PRHO posts deemed non-compliant will be withdrawn from service delivery. Arrangements on the procedures for doing so will be subject to local discussion and negotiation between NHSScotland trusts and postgraduate deans.

NHS Staff

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which groups of NHS staff are routinely expected to work outwith the terms of their contracts.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) expects all employers locally to work within current employment and health and safety legislation. Compliance with contracted hours is a matter for individual Trust employers and is not information that is held centrally by SEHD.

Nursing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nursing students did not finish their course in each year since 1997.

Susan Deacon: The table shows net discontinuations from all courses leading to a first or additional registration in nursing or midwifery, excluding transfers from one nursing or midwifery programme to another, and net of course resumptions. Information is not yet available for 2000-01.

  On 31 March 2000 the total number of students on these courses was 8,206.

  

 

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  



Net Discontinuations 
  

566 
  

501 
  

650 
  



  Source: NBS Statistical Supplement to Annual report 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-2000.

  Discontinuation is not necessarily a permanent status. Many students opt to resume or recommence their studies at a later date.

Planning

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make any changes to planning procedures comparable to those announced for England by the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on 20 July 2001 following the consultation paper, "Streamlining the processing of Major Projects Through the Planning System".

Lewis Macdonald: We have no plans to introduce new procedures similar to those announced for England. The inquiry procedure rules that were introduced in 1997 and amended in 1998 have allowed for more prompt and effective handling of planning inquiries in Scotland.

  We continue to develop distinctive Scottish initiatives aimed at streamlining the operation of the planning system, such as the review of strategic planning.

Rail Freight

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which rail freight infrastructure schemes, excluding projects receiving track access or freight facilities grants, it wishes the Strategic Rail Authority to take forward in order to develop rail freight over the next 10 years and what other policies it has in place to develop rail freight.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17457 on 28 August 2001.

Rail Services

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated for rail services in each of the next three financial years; what projects will be supported, and how much each project will receive.

Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17142 on 16 August 2001.

Rail Services

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with ScotRail concerning the Glasgow airport direct rail link.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with ScotRail on a wide range of issues.

Smoking

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to raise public awareness of the health risks associated with passive smoking.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is working in conjunction with HEBS and ASH Scotland to explore the best means of raising awareness about the impact of passive smoking. A long-term media campaign, linked to other action at community and industry levels, is being devised. This is being informed by the results of a survey of customer attitudes to smoking in public houses and restaurants. The campaign will be multifaceted, focusing on issues associated with smoking in the workplace and in the home as well as in places of entertainment such as pubs, restaurants, and clubs. The first phase of the campaign is expected to be launched later this year. HEBS and ASH Scotland are also collaborating to produce guidelines for local authorities on the development of tobacco policies in the workplace.

Social Inclusion

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the appointment of the development workers to be funded under the KickStart programme has been delayed and when all of these development workers will be in post.

Jackie Baillie: Our aim has been to ensure that the KickStart programme is not "top down" in its approach and that it meets the diverse needs of voluntary and community groups around the country. This meant that we consulted widely, including with the social inclusion partnerships (SIPs). The views of SIPs have strongly influenced the design of the programme and various changes have been made. For example, as a result of SIP views, KickStart will now run for an extra year, until March 2003, and with an increased allocation of £625,000.

  Most of the SIP clusters are in the process of recruiting their development workers and aim to have them in post between October and November.

Sustainable Development

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training it has given its staff in the development of sustainability policies.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training it plans to introduce to ensure that its staff have the necessary skills to ensure that sustainability issues are mainstreamed into the development of all its policies.

Ross Finnie: A wide range of training opportunities are made available to Scottish Executive staff to ensure that they have the skills to enable them to support ministers in delivering the policy priorities of the Scottish Executive, including sustainable development.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been or will be made available to market Scotland as a tourist destination in (a) Zeebrugge and (b) Belgium in the current financial year.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The funding resources available to VisitScotland have been almost doubled since February 2000. It is for VisitScotland to decide its marketing priorities.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget will be allocated to the marketing of Scotland as a tourist destination in Belgium and the Netherlands between now and May 2002.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: This is an operational matter for VisitScotland. The information is not held centrally.